Reading all these stories of falcons on the wing I couldn't resist a
story of my own. On our back porch in the winter we spread seed out on
the concrete. One morning I was laying with my face next to the glass at
ground level watching the great array of finches, sparrows, juncos and
towhees. From out of no where a Northern Shrike torpedoed in and nailed
a pine sisken against the concrete and the base of the sliding glass
door, not more than 6 inches from my face. The shrike finished the kill
with a quick thrust of the beak, took one look at me and then flew off
with its victim. All this took place in under 6 or 7 seconds but it was
probably the closest I'll ever get to view something like this from.
Another time I saw a Northern Shrike take a House Finch on the wing up at
Skagit Flats. Neat birds!

Michael Willison
willmi at wwc.edu
Walla Walla College
College Place, Wa 99324
509 527 2026